"You step into the cave; the darkness envelops you in an instant. The light from outside is welcoming, but Pokemon don't become famous explorers for staying home. You take a moment to process your surroundings - intermittent drops of water and the occasional slight wind from outside is all that meets your ears.

You emit your glow, which begins to illuminate your immediate area. After a few moments, the light is sufficient to examine your surroundings. The chill in the air, too, begins to dissipate; offset by the warmth of the tail flame. The cave is steeped with small pools and streams; almost appearing to be a countryside in miniature. The pools are filled with such Pokémon as Wooper - quite small, as of yet, and not quite old enough to be interacted with.

Your reverie is broken by the sound of grating stone and steel in the darkness; just outside of your light. Mawile jumps to your left, startled. The noise echoes in all directions, and a flock of Zubat flee overhead as the stone of the walls themselves seemingly rise in menace. Torterra is caught with its back turned, it takes him a moment or two for him to bring its substantial bulk around to meet the newcomer. By the time it does, the source of the clamor is readily apparent. Unfurling your wings to appear larger, you raise yourself to address this adversary. A glint of metal runs across a pair of protruding horns that tower above you, and jagged iron jaws gnash as a powerful, plated tail swashes from side to side..."

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[a]Overview[/a]Overview

The Labyrinth is a roleplay experience suitable for one to three players, or Explorers. The Explorers—Pokemon sent seperate from their trainers—delve the depths of forgotten caves and ruined buildings, searching for excitement outside of the typical arena setting.

Most of these locations have gone years, sometimes even centuries, without any sort of human contact. The Pokémon found within are feral or wild; they will often fight only if attacked, or if you invade their territory, but will often trade only a few blows before retreating. The real draw of a Labyrinth isn't the fighting, but the exploration of the unknown and the unraveling of its mysteries.

The Labyrinth is run by a Keeper; a sort of storyteller equivalent of a Referee. The Keeper's job is to describe the dungeon as the players see it, and to narrate the results of any actions the players take. They describe the sights, sounds, and smells apparent to the Explorers. Other than combat, which proceeds as one would expect, The Keeper uses their own judgment to determine what these results are, rather than RNGing or pulling results from the list. The dungeon is their creation, and the players are guests within. Note that the player and the Keeper are not enemies—the Keeper might sometimes play the role of an adversary, but the players are not tasked with "beating" the Keeper and are not acting under the threat of "losing".

A dungeon, or specific location and setting for the Labyrinth, contains many denizens. Most of the time, a dungeon will have Lackeys, Midbosses, and a Boss. Lackeys are generally not fully evolved, and represent the bulk of the local population - a Lackey Sandshrew, for example, will likely be more interested in cactus fruit than in picking a fight with the Explorers. Midbosses, however, are often represented by hostile Pokémon such as Zweilous and Houndoom. These Pokémon will actively bully or outright attack intruders - although, "intruders" can mean anyone, not just Explorers. Lastly, every dungeon can have a powerful Boss Pokémon - this Pokémon will be fair stronger than normal, and will quite often be too much for the Explorers to handle. The decision to stand and fight an unleashed Boss, or take what one can and run, will often be the most important decision a player makes in the Labyrinth.

Of course, a dungeon could be totally devoid of inhabitants and instead be full of devious traps and obstacles. There really is no set "pattern" for a dungeon.

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[a]Playing[/a]Playing the Labyrinth

[a]Party[/a]Party Building
The primary restriction in the Labyrinth is party construction - the composition of the player's team of Pokémon and the talents they bring to bear. By collaborating with other players, it is possible to create a balanced team that can weather any challenge.

Illumination may be a concern depending on the location. Certain types, such as Fire, as well as certain individual species may all give light when asked. For the most part, the light is voluntary and can be hidden. Without light, expect to suffer severe accuracy penalties (-30 to -50 flat for absolute pitch dark). Some species, such as Crobat, Swoobat, or Lucario, have special means to ignore the penalties of darkness, depending on the Keeper's discretion.

As for other Pokémon, someone who can force doors and handle other obstacles is ideal. A Pokémon with a powerful Attack stat and significant physical heft is welcome, though not necessary, for dealing with such impediments. Note that an amount of bulk is often needed; Absol and Rhydon may have the same Rank in Attack, but Rhydon has more weight to move large boulders or open stuck containers, whereas Absol's Attack stat is derived from its cutting edge and lithe maneuvers.

A Pokémon that functions well in darkness, rather than simply illuminating an area, might also be considered for a spot on an Explorer's team. Such a Pokémon might notice other Pokémon, traps, doors, passages, and other things just outside of the light that an Explorer might otherwise miss.

In a dungeon with thick undergrowth, smaller Bug Pokémon or a snake-based Pokémon will be able to enjoy full mobility where others might be impeded. Insects skitter past on their many legs, and snakes simply slither beneath it. Snakes and smaller Bug- and Grass-types can also enjoy concealment from undergrowth under certain conditions, getting the jump on their foes or moving passed them unnoticed. (Arbok, Dunsparce, and Serperior are examples of snake-based Pokémon. Gyarados and Steelix are not, for this purpose - thick undergrowth is foreign to them. What constitutes a "smaller" Bug-type varies on the growth. Shorn lawns might not be able to conceal even a Joltik, but ancient forest grove might hide a Heracross fully. For the purposes of undergrowth, Scolipede is both insectoid AND serpentine - it enjoys almost unparalleled mobility in such conditions.)

The number of Explorers allowed to challenge a dungeon will vary from dungeon to dungeon. Explorers are encouraged to discuss plans of action amongst themselves; splitting up and regrouping to handle specific challenges, and coming to each others' aid if one of the Explorers finds themselves outmatched. A Keeper should allow Pokémon as long as they are roughly the same power as each other - a team of Explorers consisting of a Kadabra, a Machoke, and a Lairon is permissable. A party with a Combee, a Beldum, and a Hydreigon is suspect at best. Under no circumstance should one player do all of the work.

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[a]STAB[/a]Type Benefits

Pokemon receive benefits, based on their original types, as listed below. Type-changing has no effect on these bonuses, except as follows. Kecleon and Castform gain the benefit of whatever type they are currently, in addition to the Normal-type bonus. Targets of Soak can enjoy underwater mobility and can breathe underwater in addition to their original types. Ditto adopts the original bonuses of its Transform target (but Necturna does not). Rotom has Electric and Ghost bonuses regardless of its current appliance, and does not gain a bonus type for forme.

Bug: Thrives in deep grass or undergrowth. Bug-types have very apt senses and are very difficult to surprise whenever vision and audio are allowed to them.

Dark: Dark-types are never troubled by lighting conditions. In areas of deep shadow, they can slip into the darkness and advance under the cover of stealth. Be wary, though, as their fellow Darks can still see them! Dark-types also make less noise when on the move - even the bulky Tyranitar moves with less than a rumble than its weight would suggest.

Dragon: Dragons are powerful and imposing, and know how to flaunt it. Dragon-type Pokémon inspire fear in weaker foes, making them flee sooner. As NPCs, Dragons are steadfast opponents who are very difficult to force to surrender. Dragon-types can't be startled, and won't jump inadvertently or make noise when taken by surprise by a foe or trap.

Electric: Electric-types give off a controllable glow that can be suppressed or turned off at will. They can also interfere with electronic equipment if needed, but don't expect the item to respond after it's been so treated. Electric voltage has very little finesse with computers. Giving power to dead devices is simple, however.

Fighting: Their mobility and fighting reflexes are put to good use in trap-heavy dungeons - if a Fighting-type springs a trap, odds are it won't affect them adversely. Only very specialized traps can catch a Fighting-type off guard, and those can only be built by the most dangerous and savvy trapsetters. If a trap catches a Fighting-type, it's a sure sign that the trap is new and fresh.

Fire: Fire Pokémon are at home in the extreme temperatures that lie close to the earth's veins. Magma and other intense heats are no obstacle to Fire-types; indeed, they can simply walk or swim right through.They also exude light, illuminating dark areas if they wish. The light can be suppressed or turned off at will.

Flying: Flight is an incredibly powerful tool in the Labyrinth - ignoring hazards and terrain, reaching items of interest at a height, and taking on out-of-reach foes are only the beginning. A Flier can carry anything with a SC that doesn't exceed its own, and with a WC that doesn't exceed its Attack Ranks. Trainers are considered to be SC 3 and WC 3, but carrying a humanoid rider requires the move Fly.

Ghost: Their incorporeal nature carries them quite far. Ghost-types can flicker out when still, becoming very difficult to see by anything except other Ghosts and Dark-types. Once they start to move, though, the jig is up. They can also try to "peek" into other rooms, but this works very rarely. Ghosts are also very difficult to ambush, as they know when a Pokémon has drawn extremely close.

Grass: Thrives in thick foliage or leaves. Grass-type Pokémon are very difficult to detect in such environments, lending themselves to ambushes on unwary foes.

Ground: In tune with the movements of the soil beneath their feet, Ground-types become acutely aware when something is amiss. The rumblings of such things as sliding walls or lumbering Pokémon are apparent to them, and they can roughly estimate direction of such things, but not distance.

Ice: At home in inhospitably low temperature extremes, Ice-types are never hindered by low temperatures or driving snow. Expect them to walk lightly across or blatantly bulldoze through snowdrifts, walk with sure steps on slick ice or other low-friction surfaces, and withstand cripplingly low temperatures.

Normal: Normal-types are notable for their very keen senses in all conditions. Regardless of environment, a Normal-type that is in full command of its faculties can act even when the rest of its team is surprised.

Poison: More often than not predatory, even if by an unusual method, Poison-types can give two combat orders during a surprise round—normally, a Pokémon only gets one.

Psychic: Upon entering a room, the Keeper gives the trainer of a Psychic-type Pokémon a piece of information regarding the most immediate hidden thing in the room. Such a phrase (e.g. "Watch your step," or "Don't touch") will be ambiguous, but should provide a lead as to the contents of the room.

Rock: Rock-types are invariably heavy. Their mass comes in handy when it comes time to break something, like a stuck door or a collapsed hallway. Anything that requires raw physical mass, like charging a gate, is best handled by a Rock-type, and these Pokémon have doubled effectiveness at such tasks.

Steel: Machine-like or simply covered in sealed armor, Steel-types are undetectable by methods that rely on scent or other common biological cues (although they can still be detected by weight or body heat). Their armor also renders them immune to common trap types, like gasses or needles.

Water: Swimming might not be as helpful as flying, but dungeons that call upon the sea-dwelling Pokémon often have challenges that only they can handle. After all, most Pokémon are landbound and can't handle underwater switches, retrieve submerged articles, or the like.

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[a]Turns[/a]Turn Structure in the Labyrinth
A turn in a Labyrinth game is very loosely defined. Generally, players post discussing their next course of action

Lastly, some orders don't even take a round at all. Any player can post a sensory question like "Can I see any doors?" or "What's in the barrel?" without incurring a new round or having to give other types of orders. These request basic information necessary to function in the Labyrinth, and should not be penalized. If a player asks how deep a pit, it's appropriate to respond "You can't see the bottom," but not "You fall in because you leaned in to far, so you're about to find out!"

A dungeon delve ends when all Explorers' Pokémon are fainted, or when all Explorers willingly exit the dungeon. In the event of a party wipe; the Explorers are forcably ejected from the dungeon as unwanted intruders. They receive a bare minimum reward, or even nothing at all if their delve was short enough. If the Explorers leave on their own, they are rewarded as explained [jump=Rewards]here[/jump]

[a]NPC%20Mons[/a]NPC Pokémon Movepools and Stats
Lackeys know all of the level-up moves for their species, including prevolutions. They usually have a beneficial nature, and have normal stats for their species. You may make one substitution against Lackeys.

Midbosses have all level-up moves, including prevolution moves, along with all Egg, Event, and Tutor moves for their species. Their nature is always optimized, and they have normal HP and Energy of a member of their species. Midbosses cannot be phased with Roar, Whirlwind, Dragon Tail, or Circle Throw. They also have a "favored move" that costs exactly 3 En, regardless of STAB or modification. Usually, this move is their signature move - Aura Sphere for a Lucario, for example. A Midboss may chose a new favored move each delve, but it must be the same move for the entire delve. The Midboss does not have to chose their favored move until they wish to ignore the penalty on a move; indeed, they can take favor on a move that they paid normal En for previously! You may make two substitutions against Midbosses.

Bosses have their entire movepool at their disposal, including level-up moves, egg moves, tutors, TMs, and special moves for their species and all prior forms, across all generations. They have five times the normal HP of a Pokémon of their species, and they always have a Regal nature, which enhances all of their stats. A Boss never consumes energy, and is immune to energy reduction. Bosses cannot be phased with Roar, Whirlwind, Dragon Tail, or Circle Throw. A Boss may, only once per dungeon delve or thread, whichever is more restrictive, use their "Boss Roll" to choose to succeed all rolls in an attack action (e.g. a move of the Physical or Special catagories). For example, a Boss Salamence could use this option on an Ice Fang to automatically hit, Crit, Flinch, and Freeze; but wouldn't be able to use it again in the same thread. Bosses can use combos normally, but the Boss Roll cannot be applied to combos. Bosses are immune to stat drops, Taunt, Encore (but not Disable), Perish Song, sleep, and freeze; cannot have their items stolen, traded, or dropped; take no damage from Pain Split, Endeavor, and Super Fang; and only ever take normal Poison, never Toxic Poison. Due to their incredibly powerful nature, you may make four substitutions against a Boss.

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[a]Obstacles[/a]Obstacles and Traps

A large component of the Labyrinth experience - or even the main one depending on the dungeon and its Keeper - is the obstacles placed to keep Explorers out. Players might find their progress impeded by a large boulder, a stuck door, overgrown vines, a body of water, spiked floors, swinging hammers, arrow or flamethrower traps, or anything else the Keeper can imagine.

Obstacles are just that; they get in the way and prevent players from moving forward. A boulder in the corner of a room is not an obstacle; that same boulder in the middle of a hallway is an obstacle. An obstacle is usually represented with either a percent chance to proceed (30% chance to break vines) or HP and Defenses (30 HP/2 Def/2 Spd). Obstacles never have types; even if they're plant matter or stone or some such. When faced with an obstacle; players usually have three options:

Move application. A path blocked by vines can be dealt with swiftly by simply using Cut, Night Slash, or X-Scissor. In this case; progress is either automatic or much swifter (for example, +25% chance to break, or damage*2)

Brute force. An Aggron, while lacking a blade to cut vines with, can certainly simply snap them. This can either be done normally (Head Smashing a door) or done at a penalty (Head Smashing a boulder). Sometimes, the task is simply impossible without the correct tools or moves (Head Smashing a pile of thorny vines).

Careful navigation. Barring any way to remove the obstacle, there are times when simply moving past it are an effective, if slower, option. A boulder, for example, can be climbed over. Overgrown vines can be traversed; it simply takes more time. When a player takes the time to carefully navigate an obstacle, it may take several rounds and perhaps cost Energy.

Attacks against Obstacles are handled as normal attacks. If it's stupid for an attack to miss (Head Smashing a Wall or another large, stationary object), it simply doesn't miss. Attacks against Obstacles consume Energy as normal, and never have type modifiers. Abilities that depend on the target, such as Rivalry and Analytic, have no effect against Obstacles.

Traps are distinct from obstacles in that they are active; as in, they actively attempt to harm the player's Pokémon. For the most part, traps emulate Moves - there's enough moves out there to simulate almost any trap you could imagine. An arrow trap could be Poison Sting, a fire jet could be Flamethrower, and a needle trap could be Spikes; the list goes on. Traps are assigned an offensive stat and a move; a Keeper might place a "Flamethrower 4 Trap" to go off in a given corridor. The trap would attack as per Flamethrower, with four ranks in Special Attack. Traps never get STAB, do not spend energy (at best they have a number of uses), and cannot be Encored, Disabled, or inflicted with any other major or minor status change.

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[a]Running[/a]Running the Labyrinth

So you've read to this point, and you've hatched about half a dozen ideas for dungeons in your head. You want to get to making a dungeon, but aren't sure where to begin? This is the section for prospective Keepers - the authors and referees of Labyrinth dugneons.

[a]Encounters[/a]Triggering and avoiding Encounters

One of the most important skills a player can hone in the Labyrinth is picking and choosing which fights to avoid and which ones to meet head-on. As a Keeper, it's important to give cues as to the strength of a given cluster of Pokémon, or the deviousness of a hallway, or the peril of a rickety bridge.

There's no need to be overt - don't reveal the nature of a Metang as a Midboss, for instance, or state that the rustling in the grass is an Arbok in wait. Simply stating that a Metang is present or that the grass is rustling is enough. Smart players might try to bypass the Metang, or attempt to detect scent or aura from the grass. Foolish players will simply plow on through, and perhaps pay for it.

Often, Midbosses are more difficult to anger than their Lackey counterparts. This has both flavor and gameplay applications - as leaders of their packs or exemplary members of their species, Midbosses often have a keener wit and more refined sense of restraint than others of their kind. At the same time, it should be harder for Explorers to accidentally call down the wrath of a delve-ending Midboss upon themselves.

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[a]Peace[/a]Talking to the Monsters - Noncombat Encounters

Not every NPC Pokémon wants you for breakfast - a lot of the common denizens are just wild Pokémon minding their own business. Never underestimate the value of fear and kindness: scaring the daylights out of a foe and making friends with a foe are both victories on the same order as a battle KO. They're even worth the same counters! When choosing your approach to an encounter, consider the disposition of the other party. Herbivores, such as Miltank or Bouffalant, often won't bat an eye as you walk serenely passed them. Others, such as Arbok and other predators, may require a show of intimidation or power (and maybe a little roughing-up) to convince them to pick a different fight. Particularly territorial Pokémon such as Tyranitar and Aggron will look favorably on shows of submission, such as gifts.

Sometimes, even Pokémon will fight to the last. Pokémon that are already wounded, are protecting their lairs or young, or are in the height of their courtship season are extremely dangerous and should be avoided entirely if you're trying to avoid a fight. Some particularly malicious species, such as Nuzleaf or Haunter, will try to harass your party simply for the fun of it. Beware of craftier types, such as Liepard or other Dark-types, as they may feign defeat or cowardice only long enough to attack at advantage. On the other side of the coin, noble or benevolent Pokémon such as Gallade, Lucario, or Chansey might dispense aid to those they feel are in need of it.

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[a]Boo![/a]Surprise Rounds

By virtue of the stealth of their STAB, the environment, or smart tactics, one side of an encounter will eventually surprise the other. The ambushing party gets the jump on the surprised party - but what does that mean?

Enter the Surprise Round - when an ambush is successfully sprung, the surprised party misses out on actions on the first turn. Surprise Rounds are only a single action long - each Pokémon on the ambushing party gets one free action before normal combat starts (Except Poison-types, which get two). Surprise can be a powerful tool or an incredible danger - make sure you check suspicious areas with every tool you have available to you!

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[a]Writing[/a]Writing Descriptions

One of the Keeper's most important duties; if not the most important; is writing prose. The Keeper has to describe the sights and sounds of the dungeon to the players; the Keeper has to put the players in the place of their Explorers. A Keeper's dungeon has to be engrossing. Consider, for example, these two passages that describe identical events:

"You make your way through the chamber; no longer minding your surroundings as you discuss courses of action with your associate. In your absentmindedness, your foot hits a tripwire and you jump back out of instinct. Venomoth stares blankly at you, wondering what the deal is - a click echoes through the room and a jet of flame erupts from below, engulfing Venomoth and dissipating in seconds. He is battered, but makes it clear that he's still in shape to continue. The click of the trap continues to echo around the room, however.

Just as you turn to leave, you hear the flutter of soft wings above and behind you. You turn to give an order; but by the time you see the new arrival it has already scattered a rain of stones by Venomoth. The bug is caught only slightly by the attack, and shakes it off like a stubbed appendage. The newcomer, a Gliscor, circles around the arches and columns of the room, readying for another pass."

"You set off a trap that deals 16 points of damage to your Venomoth. A Gliscor hears it and swoops down, dealing a glancing Stone Edge before you can react for 11 points of damage to your Venomoth."

The winning passage should be obvious.

Notice how the first example omits damage and attack names. These sort of things break suspension of disbelief - that is, they remind the player that they're playing a game, not reading a story. If you're trying to immerse your players in the setting, this isn't what you want. Instead, save damage calculations and such things for a section at the end of your post, perhaps in a hide tag.

Notice, too, how the first example gives the player a moment to breathe and collect themselves before a combat. This is an excellent way to represent the long command phase between rounds and is easiest to accomplish with flying Pokémon - they circle around, making passes of attacks when they swoop into range of each other. Grounded Pokémon might circle each other making feints and jabs, but only landing telling blows in a combat round. Implying things like these helps players imagine a continuous combat scene, rather than a sequence of rounds, when picturing what their Explorer is seeing.

While writing your description, pay attention to such things as the natures of the involved Pokémon. The Venomoth from the passage above could be stated to have a Calm nature, for example - it was literally set on fire and bashed with rocks, but remains relatively unfazed. An Adamant Pokémon in the same situation, however, might look to punish their attacker. A Timid Pokémon would try to avoid conflict unless ordered otherwise; and a Bold Pokémon might stand between their trainer and their attacker, seeking to draw attention only as long as its friends are at risk.

There's even more room for characterization inside of each nature - by crossing nature with species, you can get a very detailed profile for how a Pokémon acts, most of the time. A Quiet Gardevoir would behave in a much different manner than a Quiet Zweilous. The Gardevoir would be reserved and introverted; acting only when completely necessary. The Zweilous, the other hand, would be cold and disdainful; reserving its attention only for those things that are deserving of it.

Some trainers will have personality details for their Pokémon already; if these are applicable, stick to them as closely as possible. Don't try to retcon someone else's Pokémon; instead, try and adapt your descriptions to better suit the players' team. Remember; players are the force that causes things in the Labyrinth, and their Pokémon are the stars of the show. Players that feel they've done something awesome will come back for another helping.

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[a]PlayerRaE[/a]Player Responsibilies and Expectations

Don't let Roleplaying get in the way of the other players' experience. For example, it's perfectly fine if you want to play a badass loner-type who doesn't get along with others, but that's no excuse to get in the other players' faces or obstruct the plans of the team. Instead, be the forward scout or take some other role that seperates your loner from the others.

Remember that the Keeper has the right of "Because I Said So." This essentially puts a stop to complaints about how perfect your plan was, or how a lackey totally wouldn't think of that course of action. Instead of dictating to the Keeper how their design behaves, try to gather information even from failed escapades.

Don't assume everything is hostile. This isn't the Legend Run, you're not competing with the Keeper, and the goal isn't to kill everything and abscond with the loot. Well, sometimes it is, but still.

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[a]KeeperRaE[/a]Keeper Responsibilies and Expectations

"Rocks fall, everyone dies" is expressly forbidden. That is, exterminating all players without warning. If you want to drop boulders on foes, use a Rock Slide trap.

You may have the right to "because I said so," but use it only sparingly. Deciding that a move fails "because it would ruin your plan" is destructive to the feel of the Labyrinth, and punishes creative players. It's far better to devise a new track that leads to the same end.

Try not to instantly KO a player unfairly—that is, through no fault of their own. Springing a Helping Handed Red Card-aimed Fissure + Fissure Combo on a player's Cyclohm might be well and cool, but that player is going to be rather sore about it more likely than not.

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[a]misc[/a]Miscellania in the Labyrinth

[a]stuff[/a]Properties of Non-Pokémon

This section is a catch-all for rulings made regarding interactions in the Labyrinth.

Trainers (and other humans) in the Labyrinth have the following properties:

Trainers can never take damage, have their stats raised or lowered, contract status abnormalities, gain abilities or moves, or gain a special condition such as Taunt, Encore, etc.

Likewise, Trainers can never deal damage, alter the stats of a Pokémon, give status conditions, alter abilities or move pools, or special conditions; except by proxy using any Pokémon they may own. A Trainer can shout obscenities to attract attention, but the target isn't treated as Taunted, for example.

Trainers can alter their environment and take in observations; they can also produce mundane tools (such as a water bottle or a chisel) from their persons, as the Keeper allows.

Objects in the Labyrinth have the following properties:

Any Object can be ruled unbreakable (a vital wall or important statue) as the Keeper allows. A trainer should not be allowed to simply bash their way to the boss room, regardless of power.

Objects that are not unbreakable are obstacles, not objects. They have HP and defensive stats and are described [jump=Obstacles]here[/jump].

Objects, even if they move, can't harm Pokémon. Anything in the environment that has an offensive stat is a Trap, not an Object.

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[a]moves[/a]Utility Moves in the Labyrinth

Acrobatics [destination] - In addition to its combat applications, a user of Acrobatics could use it to reach a high ledge or shelf.

Aromatherapy [target] - The pleasant smell of Aromatherapy can negate or mask a powerful stench, preventing nausea.It can potentially calm enraged foes; so long as the species isn't inherently violent. (An Ursaring or Salamence could be calmed, but not a Gyarados or a Primeape.)

Bounce [destination] - A long or high Bounce allows the user to clear walls, chasms, and more.

Camouflage [target] - A user of Camouflage blends into the surface below and behind it, aiding in sneaking around guards and visual detection methods. Camouflage isn't anywhere near invisibility, and standing in plain sight still reveals the user - they're just better hidden from the unwary.

Defog [target] - A dense mist, fog, or gas can be completely dispersed with a single use of Defog.

Dive - Having Dive on one's moveset allows non-aquatic Pokémon free movement below the surface. Water Pokémon become adept at displays underwater agility; such as turning in place.

Detect [target] - Allows the user to "sense" what can be found in a floor or wall, but not beyond. For example, one could track the path of a lever's mechanism to find out what it operates. In addition, simply knowing Detect allows a Pokémon to anticipate and avoid harmful environmental hazards such as traps and pitfalls much more easily than those without.

Extrasensory [target] - Allows the user to "sense" what can be found in a floor or wall, but not beyond. For example, one could track the path of a lever's mechanism to find out what it operates. In addition, simply knowing Extrasensory grants a Pokémon sharper senses, causing them to notice hidden objects easier, and making it much harder to surprise or ambush them.

Fly [target] - With Fly on a Pokémon's moveset, it's possible to travel freely through the air; Flying-type users and users with the Levitate trait can perform complicated manuveurs in midair. A Flier can carry anything with a SC that doesn't exceed its own, and with a WC that doesn't exceed its Attack Ranks. Trainers are considered to be SC 3 and WC 3, regardless of the user's preferred aesthetics.

Foresight [target] - Allows the user to "sense" what can be found in a floor or wall, but not beyond. For example, one could track the path of a lever's mechanism to find out what it operates. In addition, simply knowing Foresight allows the user to see through mist, fog, or smoke (but not darkness).

Future Sight [direction] - Although it won't let you see the future, this move can still be used to make the user more alert to things such as traps while they focus on it. Usually, the better the trap is hidden, the longer it takes to find with future sight. This only works on traps that have triggers, not on traps that simply exist (e.g. it finds hidden darts, but not pitfalls).

Gravity - An application of gravity binds down free-hanging objects such as pendalums and can help bring large, heavy objects such as rolling boulders to a stop.

Gust [direction] - Unlike Defog, which completely eliminates fogs and hazes; Gust can clear a path through them, which will close behind the user in time, leaving it to hinder pursuers and the like.

Magnet Rise - Avoiding traps laid along the ground or that activate by tripwire is simple while Magnet Rise is in effect. The user can only hover along the ground, not levitate upwards or across crevasses. The user could certainly bear a load while under Magnet Rise, but don't expect to go up.

Minimize - Being under the effects of this move allows the user to fit into an area of at least half its normal size, but no smaller. Amorphous Pokémon, such as Muk, don't need this move to do so and can fit in to even smaller areas, such as under doors.

Miracle Eye [target] - Allows the user to "sense" what can be found in a floor or wall, but not beyond. For example, one could track the path of a lever's mechanism to find out what it operates. In addition, simply knowing Miracle Eye means the Pokémon isn't fooled by static illusions or projections (i.e. illusions that are attached to an area, such as a hallway, instead of a living being, such as Zoroark).

Odor Sleuth [target] - A user of Oder Sleuth has the ability to track a target by scent, so long as the user has a frame of reference (has encountered the target or one of its possessions).

Tailwind [direction] - The user of Tailwind blows fog, mist, and gas in a desired direction; and can turn a hallway into a punishing obstacle for a time.

Taunt [target] - The user can encourage an ambivalent encounter to attack, or encourage a foe to target the user, although not overpoweringly or in lieu of more intelligent obtions.

Telekinesis [target] - This can be used to manipulate objects at a long distance, such as levers or switches. It can also be used to lift, not manipulate, much larger objects like boulders and and other debris.

Teleport [destination] - Teleport is ridiculously useful in the Labyrinth; allowing the user to move anywhere within their line of sight. If the user's view of a destination is obscured by fog, other creatures, or simple lack of light, Teleport can't send the user there.

Wish [target] - In combat, it's impossible to get it to work any way other than how it normally works. However, outside of battle when the pressure's off, it's easy to have a Pokémon use Wish, and then have the recipient simply stand in the same spot to catch it.

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[a]commands[/a]Labyrinth-specific Commands

Flee: The Pokémon decides that discretion is the better part of valor, and tries to turn tail on its opponents. The Pokémon attempts to take its Move Order early, ditching any subsequent rounds of combat. The success chance is equal to (User's Speed / Average Foe Speed) * 50%. If a foe can't reach the user or block them off (e.g. a swimmer can't block off something land-based, and only fliers can block other fliers, etc.), then that foe doesn't count for average foe speed. If none of the foes can block off the user, then Flee automatically succeeds. Standing between the user and the exit is assumed on the part of the foes, so ordering such has no special effect on Flee's success rate. Effects that prevent Switching in Switch = OK battles will also cause Flee to fail.

To initiate a dungeon delve, a Keeper would design a dungeon for exploration by players. The Keeper would then post their dungeon in this thread; with a short description, expected number of players, expected level of power (for example, weakmon), and perhaps a couple of hints to the contents of a dungeon. For example, below is a profile of a example dungeon that comes with the Keepers' Spreadsheet.

Throne of the Jungle KingDeep in an uncharted rainforest sits a great monolith of marble, smoothed to a mirror sheen. In it, upon a great throne of moss and old imperial stone, sits the Jungle King; surveying the lands far and abroad and working his rule on all those that dwell there.

On the edges of his lands encroaches human civilization. They send three emissaries into his domain - how quaint! He shall watch this strange things with great interest...Difficulty: HardChills: Each Pokémon brought by an Explorer has 10 Chills to use for the entire delve.Pokémon Restrictions: Fully-evolved non-legendary Pokémon only.Pokémon Capture: Not Permitted. (during the test run, at least)Held Items: None may be brought. Items may be picked up mid-dungeon, however.Number of Players: 3.

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HTML:

[b]The name of your dungeon.[/b]
[i]In here, put a few sentences advertising your dungeon's flavor. Hook players with your writing; if someone doesn't want writing, they're not looking for a dungeon anyway. In the Labyrinth, flavor comes first and battling second.[/i]
[b]Difficulty:[/b] Noncombat, LC (Little Cup), NFE (Not Fully Evolved), or FE (Fully Evolved). Generally, indicates the combat one can find, though Bosses may not conform to the stated limit.
[b]Chills:[/b] Your policy on the use of Chill actions in your dungeon. Generally, you'll want unlimited Chills for faster-paced, combat-centered dungeons; and you'll want to a set number of Chills in more balanced dungeons. Dungeons that lack combat really don't need a ruling on Chills.
[b]Pokémon Restrictions:[/b] Rules like "no fully evolved mons" or "don't bring water-only mons; there's no water" go here.
[b]Number of Players:[/b] 1, 2, or 3.

Players looking for a dungeon to delve would browse this thread, and respond to a dungeon that catches their fancy. The player would post a response in the thread containing the Pokémon they intend to play as. One a Keeper has the desired number of players, she posts in the thread acknowledging her responders, either allowing the Pokémon, or rejects blatantly restricted mons (i.e. Garchomp in a weakmon dungeon, or Seaking in a dungeon with no water). Once all teams have been approved; the Keeper makes a thread and the players begin to explore.

At a delve's conclusion; the Keeper posts for Reward Reviewers in this thread. Two such reviewers browse the thread and assign rewards as they individually feel is appropriate based on guidelines below. Ideally, this allows the rewards to be awarded subjectively while still averaging out. Rewards can be affected by idling, how fun the delve was to read, creative play, or any number of things. This will be ironed out in testing.

Important Note for Players: When you finish a delve; praise or criticize the dungeon in this thread! An important part of the Labyrinth's rendezvous system is player feedback - people should know which Keepers are awesome, and which ones are not-so-hot. Take some time to make a post about how you feel about a delve; it helps good Keepers get more players, and helps keep bad Keepers from getting more players!

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[a]Rewards[/a]Rewards

Rewards are handed out, not by Keepers, but by Reveiwers. Reveiwers receive 1 UC baseline per thread checked, plus 1 for every 20 replies (rounded down) simply for having to read the damn thing.

At present, the rubric for Reviewers to follow as yet to be determined. It is projected that a rubric will become clear via testing. Each Reviewer would be able to reward half of the "average" value of each component of rewards, emphasizing the ability of the dual-review system to average out. Reviewers will be able to award Keepers with UC and players with KOC. Reviewers will be able to decide for themselves if a round "counts" for rewards; for example, judging between a round spend idling versus a round spent gathering information. A Reviewer's judgment is both their own and final, but again, two reviewers will allow rewards to average out. A round that is paid by one Reviewer but not the other simply recieves half pay; wooing both reviewers recieves pay and wooing neither receives no pay.

There will be an overall, absolute cap to UC and KOC rewards obtainable from a single delve.

Precipice of DustA temple to a forgotten patron; perched on top of a sandy mesa. It has catacombs bored directly into the solid stone; and the only way to the top is through these catacombs. The entrance, at the base of the mesa, is stuck with sand... These days, nearby townsfolk whisper about a "Lord of the Sand" who has taken up residence there, along with guards and followers. The closest town sent out an S.O.S. to the rangers' station, and that's where you come in.Difficulty: EliteChills: Chills are limited to 5/5 per Pokémon while fighting. Once they're out of battle and no longer performing strenuous activity or Chilling; a Pokémon will regain a used Chill every other turn.Pokémon Restrictions: Water transit is an issue, but aquatic Pokémon aren't forbidden.Number of Players: Rising_Dusk, Deck Knight, Terrador

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In this case; I already have three players in mind. Normally, however, I would list a number of players (1, 2, or 3); and prospective players will Quote this post, say "I want in" or something to that effect, and PM me three mons. This might be after coordinating with friends elsewhere to form a three-man posse, or it might be on a whim.

Terrador, Deck_Knight, and Rising_Dusk should post here, confirming that they're in on the dungeon. Once my dungeon has been challenged by the appropriate number of players, at my discretion, I make a post declaring my dungeon full; and then make the thread.

ADDENDUM: Regarding Chills.
Chills turned out to be a touchier subject than I thought; so as of now, "Chills" will be a field for your dungeon posts.

Because all of my players have checked in; my dungeon is now closed. I can reopen it later in case I, say, have to reject a player's mons (how tempting...), but for the most part it's prudent to make a closing post; to prevent eight people from challenging your dungeon. Even in the case of a rejected mon, you'll usually just get a different mon from the same player.

Now all that remains is to receive the players' PMs with their teams, and compose the opening post of the dungeon thread.

So I forgot this existed in my search for gainful employment; my apologies. Bear in mind that this isn't the only thing on the net I had to drop cold turkey.

But now that's behind me. I think I will do something with this; mostly to address the time concerns. I will probably take some cues from the Legend Run and the Pokémon Dream World - the grid will be nixed, in favor of a system of connected rooms.

Give me a few days to get some things in order; I can't jump back in quite yet.

Also, you should thank Anonymous for alerting me that I had forgotten this.

I would take especial care in making this different from TLR -- I haven't read too deeply into the Labyrinth concept, but getting rid of the grid (though it's the right decision) brings it closer to the former.

My head is messed up today, ugh 9.9

Anyway, I don't think I'd be much help but I'm always here for design and such. Not so much mechanics though.

E: As a little note, you've mentioned Extrasensory as a useful move but not Psychic.

I've been working on a rough concept for a labyrinth (Jesseus is too, I think) and I think that the grid system actually helps give a labyrinth that labyrinthine feel. I've been experimenting with a few possibilities, and something I've discovered is that the grid system actually works quite well if you keep the illumination aspect but let illuminated squares stay illuminated once you move out of the illumination range. It makes navigating for players so much easier and less of a hassle for the ref.

Aside from the grid part, the TLR is actually a pretty good model of what I personally want to do; if there are three paths, it's easier to just give three options for a route instead of moving two spaces forward, checking for traps, getting to a dead end, backtracking, etc. Just going with a chosen path (albeit with traps of some sort) simplifies things while still keeping that feel.

Moderator

As you know Lou, I've got a map complete and ready. I actually like the Grid System and think the labyrinth should keep it - although a serious increase in the light size and having all spaces remain visible (As if plotted on a map) would do wonders.

Also, you should thank Anonymous for alerting me that I had forgotten this.

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I wonder who that might be...

I take it you got the message I sent you? If so, you'll notice that what Engineer and Dogfish have been saying about spaces staying lit-up is similar to the concept I was developing and sent you in the PM.
For those of you in the dark (GEDDIT) I'll put it up publicly:

Hide(Move your mouse to the hide area to reveal the content)Show HideHide Hide

What the players see vs what the ref sees
X and + are players, with their paths denoted with red lines
White space is visible to players
light grey space is semi-visible; the players have seen it, but it may be different than when they last saw it (eg the sandshrew has moved). Its kind of like fog of war in an RTS game.
Dark greay/black is invisible to players
Red is walls, with the faded red being unseen (semivisible or invisible)

In case it's not clear (it probably isn't) Semi-Visible space means you can move through it same as visible space but theres a chance recent changes might obstruct you eg the Door you went through is now on fire, an avalanche has completely caved in that tunnel, the registeel statue turns out to be an actual registeel and isn't at all happy that you've disturbed him twice in one day.
So yeah, if grids stay a system like this might work, or you could just leave seen squares totally illuminated forever (though I was thinking maybe there could be discoverable items or other ways to achieve this permanent vision in a location). But if you're dedicated to removing the grid I might just go ahead and develop my own system...
EDIT: I ALSO THINK MY ITERATION OF THE GRID IS WEALLY PWETTY

edit: Might as well throw in some ideas, that might help simply/speed up labyrinth runs
- A Strict Deadline for player actions. I'm thinking or two days tops, and the ref should rrreeeaaally try to live up to it also. Anyone who doesn't post in it mightn't have to be DQd, but will do nothing in that round. To prevent unfairness to the other players, they might be allowed to post actions for the more busy/lousy participant until he returns.
- Movement should be co-ordinate based. Making a grid in excel means there are already co-ordinates for each cell, this is no extra effort on the refs part beyond including them in the screenshots. This will help in that players could just declare a co-ordinate that they can see/reach to travel to and a rough path there. Eg rather than "2 up, 2 left, 5 right..." they can just say "move to C6, following the wall."

Actually, no. Someone found me on /vp/. I'll take it my PM notice is from you.

How many other keepers are going to be willing to chart out a grid like that every. Single. [/b]Turn[/b]? Not many, I bet. The Labyrinth needs to be shaved in two ways:

1) Dungeons must become smaller. Ideally, the time it took Dusk, Deck, and Terrador to make what progress they did in Precipice of Dust is the time it should take to fully clean out a dungeon. This amounts to roughly seven to ten "rooms," for Labyrinth purposes, a room would be one such as Precipice's guardhouse (the room with the Metagross). The initial area with the Klinklang is complex enough to count as two or three "rooms".

2) Turns must be completed faster. Part of the stall in making the Labyrinth run was having to crank out a new map each turn. By streamlining into, say, a text flow like below:

Code:

Entrance > Statue Hallway > Guardhouse (Player 1)
V
??? < ???

Or perhaps merely:

"You're in the Guardhouse; the west exit leads back to the Statue Hallway. You're not sure where the south exit goes."

A way to streamline that back would do wonders for accessibility and speed of play. Not only that, but it doesn't require complicated Excel pages or scans of graph paper. No tracking of illumination, either - it hearkens back instead to the Labyrinth's tabletop gaming roots. This does reduce illumination's focus, although it's as important as ever - for the most part, it will be assumed that you illuminate the room you occupy and nothing more.

e: A key distinction between the Legend Run and the Labyrinth - the LR is linear and progress-based (you choose one fork to the exclusion of the other). The Labyrinth is nonlinear and exploration based (you backtrack with clues from later rooms in order to make way to the boss).

Unrelated, these changes mean that dungeons will likely be better prepared in a text editor (MS Word) instead of a spreadsheet (Excel); I imagine they'll be best prepared in the vein of Choose-your-Adventure books and tabletop adventure modules. (i.e. "If the players go south, turn to block 11. If they go north, turn to block 17.) Although, unless you intend to share a given dungeon, the notation doesn't need to be particularly thorough or neat.

Given that the rewards for the Labyrinth are scaled with the time taken, would it still be possible for Keepers to offer dungeons in the Excel style? Though it would take a lot more time (which may or may not result in a higher BT payout) for each round to be reffed by the Keeper, I would personally like it better to be able to ref in this fashion to make things less copy-and-paste. Furthermore, some people I asked on IRC said that the Excel style gives the dungeon more of an exploring vibe, which (I'd guess) is one of the main points of a dungeon.

I may not be deemed fit to offer a suggestion, but I want to do so anyway. Why not give each Keeper the option to choose how they want to present their dungeon? Different presentation formats will invariably attract different players because of the cleanliness of the layout or simply how it is presented (e.g. Excel-like map, just text). As long as we can make sure that no format is too skimpy and/or counter-leeching, this freedom might spark ideas in Keepers; I got my dungeon idea from creating a spreadsheet and messing around with sizes.

If you want an exploration vibe in any format, I'd encourage the use of detailed clues and hints over an artificial means such as a "fog of war" equivalent. Indulge your players in mystery; there's no substitute for a creative writer's mind and a player's feeling of progress. Learning is fun by human nature; teach your players about your location and they'll enjoy themselves.

If you want to use Excel, then that is perfectly fine. I won't be providing standardized rulings on its use, however, so you'll have to clearly lay down your own rules beforehand.

I'll consider requests to play a dungeon only after it's been officially declared; see the Precipice declaration earlier in the thread.

What I want now is discussion and advice for the Labyrinth process. I've made changes to the original post here and here, and I would like feedback regarding any portion of the Labyrinth system. Now is the best time to refine the process, while I'm still preparing the next test dungeon.

I wholeheartedly agree with the first post. Something that might finally come in useful is the multitude of STAB descriptions in the Data Audit...

In response to the second post, I'd like to split it into ref compensation and trainer rewards.

Keepers are be rewarded with 1 Business Token, per active player, for every odd turn that a dungeon delve takes. This is subject to adjustment by me or high-raking ASB Refs; if a Keeper tries to artificially extend their delve, action can be taken.

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If you want to keep this idea, codifying what exactly an "odd turn" is might be a good idea. A simpler method is to do pretty much what TLR does, namely rewarding refs based on the battles that the players participated in as well as the numerous roleplays. Doing so overcompensates the ref for battling, but that's pretty much balanced out by the time it takes to write all the flavor and manage all the roleplays.

The Keeper should award a small bonus for players that stay exceptionally within character - the more entertaining the character, the better the bonus.

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Agreeing with this.

It's perfectly possible for an Explorer to leave a dungeon before their teammates do. In that case, the Explorer is done with the thread, and cannot rejoin the delve. The Keeper calculates their TC reward as of the moment they leave - any further earned TC are divided between the remaining players. If an Explorer breaks the DQ time, this is course of action the Keeper should take.

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Agreeing with this as well, especially the DQ part.

When a Boss is defeated; every Pokémon that contributed even slightly earns 1 EC, 1 DC, 4 MC, and 4 KOC. The Wynaut that Tickled the Boss earns just as much as the Lucario that spent the entire match Hi Jump Kicking it.

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Those rewards seem kind of arbitrary. Why not give something like 2 EC, 4 MC, and 2 DC? 2/4/2 scales with the standard 1/2/1 that battles give, and 6 MC for a fully evolved Pokemon from participating in one (albeit strong) fight is tons.

If the Explorers are vastly overprepared for a challenge (like the previous Rampardos vs. Volcarona example), it is worth less TC than normal; likewise, if the Explorers are at a strong disadvantage, a challenge is worth more.

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I kind of disagree with this. Given that the Keeper can choose whether or not to allow a player into the dungeon based on the Pokemon he/she sends, this feels a bit artificial and forced.

Also, as a general note; do the midbosses and bosses have to have raised TC rewards and increased HP?

Explorers who let all of their Pokémon faint are denied all TC and MC rewards. This is important - one of the key skills in the Labyrinth is knowing your limits.

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I agree with the TC part, but not the MC. EC/MC/DC are counters that Pokemon earn by battling experience, and that's not really something you lose because you fainted. And one last thing; perhaps deny those Explorers items they have gained throughout the dungeon crawl as well?

Whoa, this must have gotten pushed off the page before I could see it!

Anything I don't address is something I agree with and has probably been implemented.

If you want to keep this idea, codifying what exactly an "odd turn" is might be a good idea. A simpler method is to do pretty much what TLR does, namely rewarding refs based on the battles that the players participated in as well as the numerous roleplays. Doing so overcompensates the ref for battling, but that's pretty much balanced out by the time it takes to write all the flavor and manage all the roleplays.

In the future; when I have the definition of what a "dungeon room unit" (working title) consists of, I'll adjust these to reflect the length of the dungeon, measured in Room Units.

I kind of disagree with this. Given that the Keeper can choose whether or not to allow a player into the dungeon based on the Pokemon he/she sends, this feels a bit artificial and forced.

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This is sort of difficult to adjudicate. What if a Keeper doesn't realize how badly an allowed mon counters their dungeon until they see it in action? It's easy to overlook a devastating move like Bide or Encore in a moveset of 40 to 60 moves. How much "human error" room should a Keeper have? The TC adjustment was my attempt to give that some sort of counterbalance.

It also encourages the players to try such insane tasks as taking an Ice-type into "The Volcanic Pit of Fiery Immolation"!

Also, as a general note; do the midbosses and bosses have to have raised TC rewards and increased HP?

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Yes, they are worth 3 TC and 10 TC, have 300% and 500% HP respectively, and have special combat options available to them, as detailed here.

Throne of the Jungle KingDeep in an uncharted rainforest sits a great monolith of marble, smoothed to a mirror sheen. In it, upon a great throne of moss and old imperial stone, sits the Jungle King; surveying the lands far and abroad and working his rule on all those that dwell there.

On the edges of his lands encroaches human civilization. They send three emissaries into his domain - how quaint! He shall watch this strange things with great interest...Difficulty: HardChills: Each Pokémon brought by an Explorer has 10 Chills to use for the entire delve.Pokémon Restrictions: Fully-evolved non-legendary Pokémon only.Pokémon Capture: Not Permitted. (during the test run, at least)Held Items: None may be brought. Items may be picked up mid-dungeon, however.Number of Players: 3.Player Team Size: 1 Pokémon per Explorer.

Post in here stating that you want to explore Throne of the Jungle King. Once I have three sign-ups, I will close the dungeon. Only then do you PM me your Pokémon.